Scaffold connector device



April 22, 1958 E. RAPOPORT ETAL 2,831,734

- SCAFFOLD CONNECTOR DEVICE Original Filed Dec. 14. 1953 INVENTOR S ERH EST RHPOPORT BY CHARLES W-$ WP!N6OH ATTO R N EY SCAFFOLD CONNECTOR DEVICE Ernest Rapoport, Philadelphia, and Charles W. Swanson, Levittown, Pa., assignors to Carmic Manufacturing Co., Inc., Philadelphia, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Continuation of application Serial No. 397,337, December 14, 1953. This application June 19, 1956, Serial No. 592,461

1 Claim. (Cl. 3114-46) This invention relates generally to connections for members of a structural framework and more particularly is concerned with means for detachably securing together the framework members of knockdown scaffold structures, this application being a continuation of our copending application, Serial No. 397,837, filed December 14, 1953, now abandoned.

Knockdown scaffold structures generally comprise a set of column members and suitable connecting and bracing rates Patent arranged for coaction with the pin to suitably lock the bracing member on the pin. Known arrangements for the several co-acting parts of such connecting means have certain disadvantages. For example, the connecting means commonly must be at least partially dismounted before the bracing member can be removed from the pin, and remounted after the bracing member is replaced. In addition, the inner end portion of the pin commonly is reduced in cross sectional area in spite of the fact that it should be of maximum cross sectional area because the pin is a cantilever member.

A principal object of this invention, therefore, is to provide for certain framework members of knockdown scaffold structures connecting means for detachably securing thereto other framework members, the connecting means being of the pin type and the pin being of substantially uniform cross sectional area.

Another object of this invention is to provide such connecting means the interlocking parts of which are mounted independently of one another on the supporting framework members, and which are arranged so as to permit removal of the framework members received by the pins and replacement thereof while the connecting means remain mounted on the supporting framework members.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear more fully hereinafter, it being understood that the invention consists substantially in the combination, construction, location and general arrangement of parts, all as described in detail in the following specification, as shown in the accompanying drawing and as fully pointed out in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a scaffold structure embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing column and bracing members secured together by the connecting means of the present invention;

Figure 3 shows the construction in Figure 2 and is a vertical section taken longitudinally of the scaffold structure; and

'ice

Figure 4 shows the construction in Figure 2 and is a vertical section takentransversely of the scaffold structure.

Referring to the drawing, and particularly to Figure l, a. knockdown scaffold structure may comprise a framework of suitably arranged structural members including column members 10 secured together by horizontal connecting members 11 and cross bracing members 12.

Referring particularly to Figures 2, 3 and 4, for securing together a column member 10 and a pair of bracing members 12-12 there are provided connecting means including a pin 13 which extends radially outwardly from the face of the column member 10 and is adapted to project through alined holes in the outer'ends of the bracing members 12-12, the pin 13 being rigidly secured to the column member 10 by its inner end portion, as by welding, so that the pin 13 is in effect an integral part of the member 10.

For retaining the bracing members 12-12 on the pin 13 there is provided a locking device mounted on the column 10 independently of the pin 13. The locking device includes a U-shaped bracket member 14 secured to the column member 10 in vertically spaced relation to the pin 13, the bracket being so mounted that its opposite legs 15-15 are disposed in horizontally extending, parallel relation, while its intermediate leg connecting portion 16 is vertically disposed in spaced, parallel relation to the column member 10, the inner ends of the bracket legs 15-15 being rigidly secured to the member 111, as by welding. In addition, the locking device includes a yieldable locking element which is in the form of a rod 16' projected through vertically alined openings in the legs 15-15 of the bracket member 14, the rod 16' being of a length such that its lower portion is adapted to pro ect downwardly through an opening formed in the pin 13 in vertical registry with those formed in the bracket legs 15-15. The rod 16 is fitted .with a coil spring 17 the upper end portion-of which is seated against the uppermost leg 15 of the bracket 14 and the lower end portron of which is seated against a washer 18 secured in place by a cotter pin 19 projected through the rod 16 and normally disposed just above the lowermost leg 15 of the bracket 14. For axially shifting the rod 16 so as to compress the coil spring 17, the rod 16' is provided with a handle part 20, which, in the form illustrated, consrsts of a lateral extension of the rod 16, disposed freely above the top leg 15 of the bracket member 14.

In order to disassemble the column member 11? and the bracing members 12-12, an upward force is applied to the handle 20 so as to axially shift the rod 16' upwardly against the force exerted by the coil spring 17. Initial movement of the rod 16' disengages the lower terminal portion thereof from the pin 13, and further movement thereof positions the lower terminal portion thereof above the pin 13 a distance sufiicient to permit removal of the bracing members 12-12 from the pin 13. Having removed the bracing members 12-12, the operator releases the handle 20, whereupon the rod 16' is biased by the coil spring 17 to its intitial position. In order to reassemble the column member 10 and the bracing members 12-12, the procedure just outlined is reversed.

It will be noted that the locking device is positioned on the column member 10 in lower spaced relation to a horizontal connecting member 11 so that the latter may be used to facilitate actuation of the rod 16, this being effected by hooking the fingers and thumb of one hand respectively over the connecting member 11 and under the handle 20 while applying an upward force on the handle 20 with the thumb. To this end, each of the locking devices is mounted in such vertical alinement with and proximity to a horizontally extending frame connecting member 11 as to permit the handle part 20 of a the locking device and the proximate frame connecting member 11 to be so grasped by one hand that upon squeezing the hand the handle may be drawn toward the frame 1'1 to release the locking rod or bolt 16' from the pin 13 Which'serves as the keeper=for the bolt.

Furthermore, the rod 16' and the coilspring 17 are designed so that when the rod 16' is shifted upwardly so as to fully compress the coil spring 17 (see Figure 4), the lower terminal portion of the rod 16 remains-engaged with the lowermost leg 15 of the bracket- 14. in addition, in order to provide for replacement of the coil spring 17, the distance from the handle 20 to the bottom of the bracing member 11 is made sufiicient for elevating the rod 16' so that after removing the cotter pin 19 its lower terminalportion'may-be positioned intermediate the legs 15-15 of the bracket-14 to thereby permit removal of the spring 17 and its replacement'by another spring should that be necessary.

It will be noted that a bracing member 12 may extend downwardly from the pinIS-as at the top of the column member 10 or upwardly from the pin 13 as at the bottom of the column member 1%. In addition, insteadof accommodating a pair of bracing member 12-12 as at column 1t) intermediate the ends of the structure, the pin 13 may accommodate only onebracing' member 12 as at a column it) at either ofthe structures; It will be additionally noted that the connecting means for securing to a column 19 the bracing members 12 is of the pin type and that the pin 13 is of uniform cross sectional area, i. e., the inner end portion of the pin 13 which takes the wear is just as capable of withstanding the bending and shearing stresses developed as any other portion of the pin 13. It will still further ,be noted that the connecting means remains mounted on the column .10 without being even partially dismounted While the bracing members 12 are removed from or replaced on the pin 13.

Of course, the connecting means as herein shown and described is susceptible of various changes and modifications which may be made from time to time without any departure from the general principlesor real spirit of the present invention. For example, the rod 16' might be carried by a connecting member 11 instead of the bracket member 14, interlocking of the rod 16 and the pin 13 might be effected by providing the rod 16 with a lower end portion which is bifurcated and which is arranged to engage a reduced diameter portion of the pin 13 intermediate the opposite ends. thereof, or the coil spring 17 may be replaced by a suitable arranged leaf spring. Accordingly, it is intended to claim the present invention broadly, as well as specifically, as indicated in the appended claim.

What is claimed as new and useful is:

In a knockdown scaffold structure, the combination comprising a vertically disposed elongated framework member, a C-shaped bracket structurally integral with said member including as an integral entity a pair of horizontally disposed, vertically spaced parallel elements projecting laterally from said member, and a vertically disposed element spaced from said member and interconnecting the horizontally disposed parallel elements, a keeper structurally integral with said member and projecting laterally therefrom and spaced vertically below said bracket in line with said bracket elements, said elements and keeper each having a hole therethrough and all said holes being in vertical alinement, an elongated bolt extending vertically through and beyond all said holes and axially slidable therein whereby the intermediate part of said bolt sliding in the holes in said bracket coacts with said bracket holes to maintain the lower end of the bolt in axial alinement with the hole in said keeper, a coiled compression spring disposed within said C-shaped bracket in embracing relation with respect to said bolt to yieldably urge said bolt axially toward said keeper, means on said bolt for limiting the extent of its movement toward said keeper, the lower end of said spring bearing against said limiting means, an auxiliary elongated framework member having a hole extending transversely through an end thereof, said auxiliary'memher being disposed transversely across a face of said vertically disposed framework member with the keeper projecting through the hole in said auxiliary member to locate the auxiliary member on said keeper between said vertically disposed framework member and said bolt, said bolt locking the auxiliary member on said keeper by extending transversely beyond said keeper in two opposite directions, whereby strains and movements between saidtwo members in all directions are borne principally by said keeper, and said auxiliary member may be readily withdrawn from said keeper by retraction of said'bolt from the hole in said keeper, a horizontally disposed elongated framework member affixed to. said vertically disposed framework member and projectinglaterally therefrom and spaced above said bracket in vertical alinement with said bracket and said keeper, and

a handle for said bolt located intermediate said bracket and said horizontally disposed framework member, said handle being disposed in such proximate relation tosaid horizontal framework member as to permit themboth to be simultaneously grasped by one hand for facilitating Withdrawal of said bolt from the hole in said keeper, said C-shaped bracket being formed of flat strip metal of a uniform width substantially greater than the overall diameter of said coiled compression spring and said spring being centered betweenopposite sides ofthe bracket whereby the latter affords substantial: protection againstthe spring being damaged.

References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 597,923 Vance Jan; 25, 1898 670,384 Clayton Mar. 19, 1901 908,987 Foley Jan; 5, 1909 1,086,749 Brenneman Feb. v10, 1914 1,702,418 Seebeck Feb. 19', 1929 2,544,399 Schneider Mar.'6,' 1951 2,593,247 Benteman Apr. 15, 1952 2,635,717 Albrecht et al Apr. 21,. 1953 2,640,734 Meng June 2, 1953 2,726,902 Bergman et al Dec. 13, 1955 

